Clothes hanger



Jan. 12 1926. 1,569,369

H. T. HETTINGER cbo'fuss HANGER Filed April 10 1925 Patented Jan, 12,

UNITED STATES PATENT. oFFicE.

cro'rnns HANGER,

Application filed AprilvlO, 1925. Serial No. 22,221.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY T. HETTIN- GER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPenns'ylvania, have in vented a new and useful Improvement in Clothes Hangers,'of which the following is a specification. i r

This invention relates to a combined coat and trouser hanger, and has for its primary object the provision of a foldable hanger which may be compactly folded into a small space with ease, and readily unfolded whenever desired for use as a hanger, as well as the provision of a sturdy, neat and conenient hanger of thischaracter which can beeconomically manufactured.

It is also an objectto provide a foldable suit hanger in which the extensible slides adapted to project from the main cross bar are firml supported while in extended position, and are so fashionedand coordinated with the cross bar as to be automatically locked in folded condition by the mere sliding thereof towards the cross bar, the looking means serving the dual function of positively securing the slides v against bodily separation from the cross bar upon withdrawal to extended or operative position and the resilient locking of the same in place when moved to its folded or inoperative position.

A further object is to provide a hanger of the character referred to in which the poi-ti for suspending the trousers may be i'readiiy detached from or fastened to the 'e-iiass bar so that the coat supporting and "trouser supporting portions may be used independently, or readily disconnected for packing, if desired.

These and other objects of the invention will more fully appear when taken in conjunction with the following description and the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the application, Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the entire hanger in its unfolded condi tion ready for use, and illustrating the method of suspending the trouser support 111g portion from the main cross bar; Fig. 2 a similar view of the :lIia-in cross bar and the slides which cooperate therewith, the

slides being shown in their folded or inoperative position with the offset bent portions forming {the spring ilatch engaged with the locking :apert u re s of jibe cross bar; and

Fi 3 a similar view of the Jortions which form the trouser support, illustrating the relative positions which the parts assume when the trouser supporting portion is detached and adjusts for packing.

In the drawings the main. cross bar is indicated generally by the reference numeral 1, and comprises a top wall2, substantially parallel depending side flanges 3, 3, and the depending end flanges 4, 4, the end flanges joining the side flanges and cooperating to provide a recess at the bottom face of the cross bar. The top wall 2 is equipped at a point intermediate the ends of the cross bar with a latch receiving opening 5, preferably of threaded therethrough the two limbs 8, 8 of the extensible slides, the outer extremity of the slide being closed as clearly shownin the drawings, while the inner extremities thereof are-left free and project within the recess formed at the under or bottom face of the cross bar. The inner extremity of one of the limbs, limb 8 as shown in Fig. 1, is slightly offset in the manner indicated at9 to provide a spring catch, which is adapted to resiliently but lockingly engage with the opening 6 when the slide is moved to its folded or inoperative position, in the manner indicated in Fig. 2.

The slides are preferably formed of resilient wire bent upon itself to the desired shape, thus providing a comparatively strong construction which is of light weight. A slidesimilar to that just described in detail is provided at each end of the cross bar, one being threaded through the spaced guiding apertures of the depending flange 4 and the remaining one in a similar manner through spaced guiding apertures in the end flanged. Both slides are identical in construction. 1 j

The offset portions 9 of the slides perform a dual function. Besides serving as a spring catch" to lock the'slides against relative movement with respect to the cross bar When moved to their in p rative or f l d positions, a slmwn in Fig. 2, these offset portions 0 also serve as limiting stops or abutments for determining the outward travel of the slides when withdrawn to their operative or coat-supporting position. Upon withdrawal, the movement of the slide is arrested by the abutting of the offset portion 9 with the depending end flange through which it is threaded. The cooperation between the parts, nevertheless, lend themselves to ready assembly.

The portion of the hanger constituting the trouser support, comprises the bent loop indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 and includes the pair of substantially parallel depending limbs 11, 11', closed at their upper end, and having their lower free ends pivotally connected to a pair of clamping strips 12, 12', the pivotal connection of the limb 11 with the strip 12 being clearly indicated at 13 in Figs. 1 and 3. The strips 12 and 12 may be constructed of any suitable material, but are preferably made of channel shaped metal sections, the channels of which are fitted with strips of fabric, such as felt, in the manner clearly indicated at- 14, 14, these fabric strips forming suitable surfaces for engaging the garment in a fashion which will be clearly understood by those familiar with this art. A portion of the inwardly extending top flange forming the channel of each of the clamping strips 12 and 12 is cutaway, and the remaining portion bent outwardly to form the notched flanges 15, 15, the notches being adapted to receive the lower extremities of the limbs 11 and 11 when the clamping strips are swung about their pivotal connections 13 so as to occupy a position substantially at right angles to the body of the loop 10. The manner in which the depending limbs of the loop engage these notches is clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, while Fig. '3 shows the limbs disengaged from the notches with the loop 10 swung so as to lie in substantially longitudinal alignment with the strips for the purpose of causing the several parts to occupy less space thus enabling them to he more readily packed for transportationI Pivotally attached to the closed end of the loop 10 is a bent wire catch 16 the intermediate portion of which is in the form of an eyelet encircling the loop and having the extremities 17, 17 projecting laterally therefron'i. In order to permit the strips 12, 12 to be readily separated or forced towards each other into gripping relation with the garmentat will, a bent wire slide 18 of well known construction is provided, having the eyelets at its opposite ends threaded upon the respective limbs of the loop.

In use, whenever it is desired to suspend the trouser supporting portion from the ross bar, he latch lfi swung around its pivot so that the extremities 17 17 lie in a vertical plane, enabling the latch to be pro jected upwardly through the receiving opening 5, with the latch above the top wall 2. After being projected through the opening in this manner, the latch is then swung so as to position the extremities 17, 1'? in a horizontal plane with the extremities resting upon and supported by the top wall 2, all in a manner clearly shown in Fig. 1.

lVith the trouser supporting means attached to the cross bar, the pair of slides mounted therein may be withdrawn from the recess to freely extended position, as shown in Fig. 1, when the hanger is ready for use for supporting both the coat and the trousers of a suit, or for supporting other garments in an obvious way.

In order to readily suspend the entire hanger from a hook or similar support, a supporting loop such as shown at 19 is pro vided, the lower laterally bent extremities of which are adapted to be projected downwardly through the opening 5, so as to con tact with the bottom face of the top wall 2. VJhen attached in this manner, the lower extremities of the loop lie within the offset portions of the opening 5 so as to hold it against rotation relatively to the cross bar. The provision of two pairs of oppositely disposed offsets in the opening 5 enables the body of the supporting loop to be positioned either parallel with or transversely of the axis of the cross bar.

In order to pack the hanger into a comparatively small compass for transportation or for storage, the trouser supporting means can be readily detached from the cross bar by releasing the latch 16. Thus removed, the parts thereof may be brought to the relative positions shown in Fig. 3, and the coat supporting portions moved to that shown in Fig. 2. It is obvious that with the trouser and coat supporting means detached from each other, and in their folded COIldltiOlLthB entire hanger will occupy but very little room.

It is thus seen that the invention provides a suit hanger vhich is extremely neat in appearance, of simple and sturdy construction, which may be manufactured at a nominal. cost, one in which the several parts may be quickly and easily assembled and locked in the desired positions, and one in which the slides mounted in the main cross barare fashioned so as to form a firm support when moved to extended condition while at the same time providing a convenient means for both locking them in their folded con dition as well as limiting the extent to which they may be withdrawn when desired for use.

I claim:

1. A foldable suit hanger comprising a cross bar having a body provided with a recess in its bottom face and depending flanges bordering said recess, said flanges being provided with apertures extending therethrough, a pair of oppositely disposed resilient slides slidingly mounted in the cross bar, the inner ends of the slides projecting within the said recess and having offset portions adapted to lockingly engage with said apertures for resiliently holding the slides against movement relatively to the cross bar.

2. A toldable suit hanger comprising a cross bar having a body provided with a recess in its bottom face and depending side and end flanges bordering said recess, the said side flanges being equipped with catchreceiving openings, a resilient bent wire slide ll iingly threaded through each of the end 'langes with its inner extremity projecting ito the said recess, the said inner extremity cing equipped with an offset portion forma spring catch, said oflset portion being 0 ted to engage with one of the openings I. kill in as movement relatively to the cross bar.

2 A toldable suit hanger comprising a cross bar having a body provided with a rein its bottom face and depending side and end flanges bordering said recess, the said side flanges being equipped with catchreceiving openings, and the end flanges with a pair of spaced guiding vapertures, a U- shaped slide slidingly mounted at each end of said cross bar, the limbs of said slide projecting through the said guiding apertures into the said recess, one of said limbs being rent to term an oflset portion serving as a spring catch adapted to engage one of the openings in the side flanges of the cross bar tor holding the slide in folded position and to abut th end flange to limit the outward travel of the slide when drawn to extended operative position.

A toldable suit hangercomprising a cross bar having a body provided with a recess in its bottom face and depending flanges bordering said recess, said flanges being provided with apertures extending therethrough, a pair of oppositely disposed resilient slides slidingly mounted in the cross bar. the inner ends of the slides projecting within the said recess and having offset portions adapted to lockingly engage with said apertures for resiliently holding the slides against movement relatively to the cross bar,

LL sid flanges to hold the slide against said cross bar being provided with a latchreceiving opening in its body intermediate its ends, and a trouser-supporting clamp removably engaging said opening.

5. A foldable suit hanger comprising a cross bar having a body provided with a recess in its bottom face and depending flanges bordering said recess, said flanges being provided with apertures extending therethrough, a pair of oppositely disposed resilient slides slidingly mounted in the cross bar, the inner ends of the slides projecting within the said recess and having oflset portions adapted to lockingly engage with said apertures for resiliently holding the slides against movement relatively to the cross bar, saidcross bar being provided with a latchreceiving opening in its body intermediate its ends, a trouser supporting clamp including a bent wire loop closed at one end, a latch pivoted to said closed end adapted to be threaded through the said opening for selectively attaching or detaching the loop troin the cross bar, and a pair of clamping strips pivotally suspended from the free ends of the loop.

(3. A toldable suit hanger comprising a cross bar having a body provided with a recess in its bottom face and depending flanges bordering said recess, said flanges being provided with apertures extending therethrough, a pair of oppositely disposed resilient slides slidingly mounted in the cross bar, the inner ends of the slides projecting within the said recess and having oflset portions adapted to lockingly engage with said apertures for resiliently holding the slides against movement relatively to the cross bar, said cross bar being provided with a latchreceiving opening in its body intermediate its ends, a trouser supporting clamp including a bent wire loop closed at one end, a latch pivoted to said closed end adapted to be threaded through the said opening for selectively attaching or detaching the loop from the cross bar, a pair of clamping strips pivotally suspended from the free ends of the loop, and a notched flange projecting laterally from each of said strips, the notches receiving the depending limbs of the loop when the strips are swung to a position substantially at right angles to the body of the loop.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name.

HENRY T. HETTINGER. 

